Automatic cigarette lighter



Jan. 15, 1952 w E, MOLLER 2,582,882 A AUTOMATIC CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed May 6. 1948 3 l l gm." 32

ATToRNEv Patented Jan. 15, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC CIGARETTE LIGHTER Wharton E. Moller, Los Fresnes, Tex.

Application May 6, 1948, Serial No. 25,402

Claims.

This invention relates to igniting devices and moreparticularly to a pyrophoric lighter of the typegenerally used for lighting cigars and cigarettes, the primary object of which is the provision of a device of this character which is of simple and durable construction and more certain of satisfactory operation.

Lighters of this general class have been in use for many years but have suffered from a number of deficiencies which have in manyinstances materially decreased their usefulness. Among the most common of these deficiencies are the inability to light, and the failure of various parts of the mechanism `because of. their poor construction, or exposure to conditionsfor which they are not adapted.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention tov produce a lighter in which the above mentioned deficiencies are overcome.

A further object of the invention is to produce a lighter in which means is provided for automatically actuating the spark producing means once or a plurality of times in order that ignition of the lighter may be made substantially certain.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a durable lighter which is relatively easy to disassemble and repair by reason of the novel conguration and arrangement of the parts.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. wherein: y

Fig. 1 is a perspective of the device in closed position Fig". 2, a perspective of the device showing the cover in open position and the gear box removed;

Fig. 3, a perspective of thegear box and its cover;

Fig. 4, a perspective showing the interiorvof the. cover;` f

.Figr, a fragmentary perspective of the lighter Wththe cover removed; i

. 6, va ;vertica1 sectional view of the lighter;

Fig. '1, a section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6p; `Fig. 8, a perspective of the spring motor mechanism; and' Fig. 9:,- an elevation of the governor mecha,- nism.

Referring to the drawing a lighter is disclosed having a casing or housing I0, a slideablecover II, a removable gear box unit I2,` and a coverv plate therefor I3. The housing has end walls I4, front and rear walls I5, a lower wall I6 andan upper wall I1. For receiving the unit I2 the housing is provided with an opening I8 which is enclosed on two sides by the two walls I4 and I1 and by interior walls I9 and 20 secured to the front and rear walls I5.

The casing or housing may be of any convenient shape and contains a supply of absorbent cotton or the like 2| whichmay be saturated with lighter iiuid.A A removable filler plug 22 is threaded into an opening in the lower wall I6 of the housing, and a wick 23 extends from the interior of said housing in contact with the absorbent material 2l through an opening in the upper wall I1 and is secured by means of a threaded collar 24. 1

The cover II comprises a top 25, side walls 26 and an end wall 21. Mounted within the cover and attached to the under side of the top 25 is a rack 28 which is adapted to engage the teeth of an igniter wheel actuating pinion 29. The side walls of said cover are provided with flanges 39 and 3| for reception in guide means or grooves 32 formed on the upper wall of the housing by means of angle bars 33 which may be attached thereto or be integrally therewith.

The pinion 29 referred to above is mounted on a shaft 34 which is secured in opposed brackets 35. A spring clutch 36 is secured to the face of the pinion and is adapted to engage a striking wheel 31 by means of serrations 38 in its face. A flint 39 is resiliently pressed against the striking wheel by a spring 40 which is confined in atube 4I passing through the upper wall of the lighter and secured tothe lower wall in any suitable manner or formed integrally therewith. The int 39 and spring 40 are retained within the tube 4I by an adjusting screw or stud 42 as is well known in this art.

At the corner of the housing nearest the wick, perforated shield members 43 are attached to an end wall member 44, to protect the wick from airA currents and the like.

The shield members and end wall may be attached to the housing or formed 'integrally therewith as shown in the drawing.

It is apparent from the above thatrslidable movement of the cover II relative to the housing I0, when the rack 28 is in engagement with the pinion 29, will cause rotation of the spark producing means. In order to produce movement of the slidable cover, Vhelical spring members 45 are attached theretoby hooks 46 and to the upper wall I1 of the housing by hooks 41. A set screw 48 is positioned with its point projecting above the wall I1 in such a manneras to '1the-*ton`gue63 of the rod62. lwinding stem =clockwise-,"energy may be-` stored abut a stop 49 on the flange 30 of the cover, when the cover reaches a predetermined open position.

The removable gear box unit I2, referred to above, provides an energy storing means in order that successive operation of the spark producing mechanism may be produced without the necessity of manually returning the cover to its closed Yposition..each time. For returning the cover automatically, the cover is Aprovided with a rack 50 which is adapted to be engaged by a spring actuated segmental gear I, forming part of the unit I2. The unit I2 includes front and rear walls 52 and 53 secured vIsogethenbynone or more rod members 54.

Positioned between the facesof the walls '52 and 53 is a spring motor mechanism 55.vvhich includes a coil spring 5S having its inner end attached to a sleeve 51 and its outer end to a housing 58. The housing 58, the double seg- *mented`gear--5I,anne tooth. gear 59, and an -elongated-ratchet wheel or-toothed member-G0 f are secured together as a rigid unit, having their Y:respective axesfaligned. The-sleeve 51 projects sufficiently beyond the lvface of lthe spring 56Vv to "be-journalled inan` aperture 6I inthe wall 53 fof theunit -tongue 53 on an-endthereof is tightly positioned 'fof the ratchet wheel 68,is slightly-larger than the shaft 62 in order' that the members may ro- --tate relative to saidf shaft.

For winding spring 56, a windingstem- 54 of' rod stockl similar. tov ythat of member l62 is pro- 'videdand includes#an-enlarged--head-65 with a islot 65`forl-the reception of a thinvarticle such .'a'sther edge of a coin. Said rod 62 hasrigidly `attachedfthereto aratchetf 61 for engagement- -with a spring` biased'pawl'68. --Ay slot'18'is providedi in thefendoffthey stem forreception of By Vrotating the in the spring- 58.

To permit the gears- 5 I1 and 59 to project there- "throughan opening 96is'provided in 'ther-upper walloff the housing I0. -For 1 manually controllingthe operation vof the spring motor'mecnanismand the movement lof the'y slidable `cover II, a-control '-'leverl12 is provided'which is connected #through suitable 'linkage'to a dog or'pawl11|-and a-reciprocable r-member or post 19. The dog 1I" has a hooked end -and a relativelystraight-end 15. The post-'19is adapted to v`project through thewall 'I1"and 'the ange 33 of "the-housing I0 and through an opening llll'in' the flange 39 ofthe `'cover' I I *for maintaining the coverA in closed fposition.

` 'Said'post'19 isattachedto a1base'11 and has a rod member 8U of reduced size on theoppo'site s ide of the base 11,` said rod member being adapted `to"reciprocate in van elongated recess V`8I in the lever 12. :Thereciprocablemember isre- "siliently'attached tothe lever 12by a spring 82.

A' projection 84 onsaidv lever' is adaptedv to be lreceived in an 'elongated Aslot 85 of `the wall 52, -and afprojection 88 onthe inner surface of said wall is adapted to be received in an elongated slot `81 of'said leverr` to permit' lengthwiseslidable movement of the lever. For additionally .positioning the levera guard 83 isattached tof the .wal1 `"52.' The gear box cover-member "I3 iS pro-V vided withV apertures" 91 and' 98v for' receiving the projection 84 and head B5 of the winding stem, respectively.

It is apparent that movement of the lever to an upward position will tend to compress the spring 82, forcing the post 19 upwardly, and that downward movement of the lever will tend to move said post downwardly.

The base 11 of the post 19 is attached to the dog. 1| .by means of a link 18 which is secured 1sv by-pins to each of the members. The control lever is thus adapted to move the post 19 and at Mthe same time to rotate the dog 1I, so that said dog may be positioned Where one or the other of ;itsends`smay.engage the teeth of the ratchet 15 wheel 58, or lwhere neither of its ends engage said ratchet wheel.

.Toa-'prevent over-speeding of the spring housing Y58 and the associated gears, a governor Imechanism. is provided and includes a gear 88 mounted on a shaft 89 which is rotatably secured in a'support plate-'.SIl-.attached to the wall 53 of. the unit-2|. The gear'i'IlS is engagedw-ith thefgear. 59.1ofv the spring motor mechanism-55 and .also zwithV a pinion :9I- journalled infthe plate'90.

.Saidpinion has vattached thereto aY fork 92 having a resilient.v spring arm-:93,With a weight 94 =on the freef end of-said arm. Spring loaded pivotally mounted abutmentsf 95 are :attached to the '.plate 90 and positioned ina circle about the .axis of-f the shaft of the pinion 9| land ata-dis- `tancegreater therefrom .than that of .anyrzpart -offthe fork92. 'When theispeedof rotation of the fork member reachesa predeterminedvalue the vveightvonV thespringA member causes1said spring member to contact itheabutments 95 .thus retarding the speed'and thereby preventing: the `mechanism from over-speeding.

The gear boxunit I2 is vadapted to be posi- ,m tioned inthe housingv lbymeans .of'abutments 99 formed in the housing, which are received in cut-outportions |80 of -the corners of the Vwall members 52 and 5 3.

Fasteners -I02 Ypassing through rthe cover plat 513 and. securedin recesses inthe abutments 99 ymaintain the unit and its cover plate in position.

. Should it.become necessary to remove thegear box "unit-for repairs or replacement, vor if. the same should fail to properly function while-.in place in. the lighter, the llighter may .be.aotuated by. manually returning-AA thelcover tc closed posi- .tion each time itis desired to operate-the striking mechanism. :To retain `the cover.v in closed -position when the gear .boxfunit control lever is not employed an auxiliary catch I03 may'fbe` attached to thehousing or cover.

`-In thegoperating of the device, assuming that the cover is closed as in Fig. 1, and thatvthe spring: motor 'has-.been wound aspreviously ;de

..60 scribed, the cover member II may be released. by

V of it-anditsassociated'rack causing rotation of the associatedpinion 'and the sparking wheel- 24,

thusdirecting sparkslontoV the saturated wick I4 to produce a flame.

Assuming that the button 13 has vbeen-moved to its lowermost position, the dog 1I is rotated vso that the hooked end-16 is-in positionl toengage the` teeth of they ratchet'wheelf. When' the Vcontrol `lever is movedto its lowermostposition the straight end '16"of the dog 1I becomes dis- "engaged from the' ratchet 'wheel but" the hooked end 15 immediately engages a tooth thereof'to prevent rotation. When it is desired to close the cover of the lighter, the control lever is moved to its uppermost position which causes the post 19, acted on by the spring 82, to be urged against V the flange` 3ll of the cover.

At the same time, the dog 'H is rotated counterclockwise sufficiently to disengage the hooked end 15 from the ratchet wheel but not suiciently for the straight end IS to engage fsaid ratchet wheel. At this stage the vco-unterclockwise by means of the link 18 an amount sufiicient for the straight end 16 thereof to engage the ratchet wheel 60 and prevent further rotation. Each of the segments of the gear is of such length and configuration that it Abecomes disengaged with the last tooth of the rack when the cover returns to closed position. -If it is desired that the striking members be actuated a plurality of times the controllever I2 may be moved to midway position which yi withdraws the post 19 from engagement with the aperture of the cover and rotates the dog 1| to a neutral position where neither of its ends can engage the ratchet wheel 60. When in this position, the cover is released to actuate the striking mechanism and as it reaches open position the rack is engaged by a segment of the gear 5| to return the cover to closed position; as soon as the cover is in closed position the rack and segmental gear become disengaged whereby the cover may again slide to open position until it is returned by action of the segmental gear. This may continue until the spring motor runs down if desired, or until a flame is produced, after which the lever may beA returned to its lower position to hold the cover open or to its upper position to close the cover.

It is apparentthat closing the cover of the device will snuff out the flame of the wick and that no additional means is needed to accomplish this purpose.

It is also apparent that all of the spring members of the device are out of the path of the flame from the Wick and will therefore not have their life unduly shortened because of being exposed to the heat therefrom.

From the above, it will be understood that the invention includes an automatic pyrophoric lighter which is simple and durable in construction and whose striking mechanism may be manually controlled to permit actuation one or more times andv whose parts are easily disassembled for repairing and cleaning.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limitedby that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

lWhat is claimed is:

1 1. 'An automatic pyrophoric lighter comprising a. housing; a fuel reservoir within said housing; a'wick in communication with said fuel reservoir;

striking means at the top of said housing, said `means including a vrotative pinion; a cover tted over and normally closing the top of said housing, said cover carrying a pair of racks, one for engagement with said pinion; a spring attached to said housing and to said cover; a reciprocable member for engagement with said cover for holding said cover in position over the top of said housing against the force exerted by said spring; a .spring motor for returning the cover to a position over the housing, and means for winding said spring motor; rst and second gears and a ratchet wheel associated with said motor, and forming a rigid unit, the rst of said gears being adapted to engage the other of said racks attached to said cover for moving said cover; governor mechanism driven by said second ,gear for preventing overspeeding of said spring `ber; said control lever being adapted toY occupy a plurality of positions, whereby said control lever may be placed in one position in which the straight end of said dog engages said ratchet wheel and said reciprocable member engages said cover to prevent operation of the lighter, and whereby in another position said reciprocable member disengages said cover to permit said cover to be moved by said spring whereby said rotative pinion actuates said striking means and the hooked end of said dog engages said ratchet wheel to prevent rotation of said gears and whereby in another position said reciprocable member disengages said cover to permit said cover to be moved by said spring means and said dog disengages said ratchet wheel to permit rotation of said gears and said rst gear engages the other of said racks to move said cover to closed position.

top of said housing against the forceexerted .by said spring; a spring motor for returning the cover to a position over the housing, and means for winding said spring motor; rst and second gears and a ratchet wheel associated with said motor, the first of said gears being adapted to engage the other of the racks attached to said cover for moving said cover; means driven by said second gear for preventing overspeeding of said spring motor; a pawl for engagement with said ratchet wheel; a link connecting said pawl to said reciprocable member; a control lever for varying the position of said reciprocable member and said pawl; means connecting said control lever and said reciprocable member; said control lever being adapted to occupy a plurality engages said cover to prevent operation of the .lightergaand .whereby :in :another q .position said rreciprocable member g. disengages =said .f cover.V to -permit saidl cover cto;k i bei; moved by .'said spring 'whereby-said rotative v.pinionA actuates said: strik- ;.ingz means... and.. said. pavvl` z engages .said ratchet Wheel:oto.;'preventarotation of said.; gears, :and 'Jawhereby in,;another positiorrsaid reciprocable iimember.. .disengagesz--y said cover. y y to permitasaid ;;.cover.to.be.moved by said-:spring andusaid pawl zzdisengagesxsaid ratchet wheelv topermit rotation .iof saidgears; andsaidrrst gear engages-saiderack .tozxmoveisaid r. cover- :to rclosed-g position.

i An-automatic fpyrophoric `lighter comprising enhousing; a` .uelf freservoir. within said housing; a.wickiiinz.communication with said -fuel reser- --avoir striking-z means .at :the top of said housing, zt-saidi means: including a rotative pinion;V a n cover ..tted over andfnormally.- closing thevftop ofL said .housing., saidcover-.carryinga pairof racks, one cfors :engagementv With-said pinion;- av springyat- ;atachedito said housing'andfto said cover; a re- Aciprocablehmember Vfor .engagement with said ecovenfor holding said. cover inposition over the top :of: said housing s against thev force exerted by saidi spring` anspringaemotor vfor returningther cover to` a` positionV over the housing, and .means .fzforwinding saidspring motor;-first, second-and r'ithrd toothedV members associated with said motor l'. andiiorming a rigid unit,v the'rstof saidtoothed members being adapted-to engage the other of ,zthefracks attached 'to said. cover for moving' said f:cover;.:;..means driven ,by said second toothed nmember for preventing overspeeding of said .-imotor;` .a;;dog =for engagement with said .third fritoothedmember.; means connecting saiddog with said reciprocable.member; means for. varying the .-:positionfmfnsaid'reciprocable member and said adog,pmeans connecting? saidreciprocable member andsaidrpositionvarying means; -Whereby` said position.varying means ymay be positionedso `thatfsaiddog Y engages' said third toothed member:and said reciprocable member engages said a4 housing; a `fuel reservoir Within saidhousing.; a wickfin communication with said Vfuel reservoir; ;-.str iking meansassociated with, said Wick,.said

.means. including ay rotative pinion; a vcoverfor zsaid-housing; saidcover carrying a pair of racks, one -forf engagement with vsaid rotative pinion; a .springattached-.tc said housing and said cover; .1,a-reciprocab1emember for engagement Withl said acover'for holding--said cover in closedposition against the force. exerted ybysaid spring; a spring motor. for-.returning the cover to closed position; 'means for winding said spring motor; nrstand second-geara-and a ratchet wheel associated With .said motor, the iirst of -saidgears'being adapted to engage the other said racks attachedwto said .-cover vfor movingsaid cover;y governor mechamm'sm, .driven by .Isaidsecondgearr vfor .preventing :,-overspeedingof saidV spring motor; a pivotally y8 mounteddog having a hooked and astraight end, each of` which is adaptedto p engage; saidv ratchet Wheel; a link connecting.Y said dog tosaid vreciprocable member; a control lever for .varying-i vthe position of said-reeiprocablecmember andfsaid dog; and means connecting said control leverand said reciprocable member; wherebyv'saidfcontrol lever may be actuated to place said-.reciprocabie member, and said dog in one position tovprevent 10 operation of the lighter, or. in anotherI position to .permit said cover to be moved by said spring to actuate the striking means, or in anotherposition to permit said first gear. to engage theother of saidracks. to return. said coverfto closedyposition.

5.r fAnautcmatic pyrophoric lighter .comprising ahousing;4 arfuel reservoir within said housing; a v.vvickfin communicationwith said :fuel reservoir; striking meansz associated Withsaid.y Wick; said 2a means :including a; rotative pinion; a# cover-for said housing,- =said. cover carrying av pair of llracldrs, ;one for engagementv with said rotative pinion; a Aspringsattached to said housing and'L saidncover; .ag member lforengagement with said-cover..for holding` said' ccverjn closed'positionagainst the foi-ce, exertedgby said spring; afspring'. motorwfor :returning the cover-to closed-position; meansfor winding saidi spring motor; gearpanda ratchet .nwheelasscciated with said motor,v.said gearbeing 3o ladapted to engage the-othersaid `racks attached to4 said-cover for moving said cover; Aa-pivotally n mounted @dog adapted :to engage...said eratchet wheel; means connecting said dog to. said mem- '.ber a .control lever -for varying lfthe; position-.of asaid-member. and said dOg;-.and means connecting rvsaid control lever and said member; whereby .said control levermayba actuated to place saidrmember, and saididog in one position to preventroperation of the l,lighten-.or in anotherposition togper- Ii-mit -saidcover to be .movedbyfy said spring-tevactuate the striking means,.or in another .position i Ito permit, said Y gear to v engage: .the otherof, said racks to4 return said cover to closed,v position.

.l 6. Anautcmatic .pyrophoric lighter comprising a.'housing,a yfuel reservoir withinsaidhousingg a Wick associated with said fuel;v reservoir, striking .;means :associated withsaidrwick, saidfmeansincluding a rotative pinion, a slidable cover-for :said housing,: saidr cover carrying a racleginfengagement Withthe pinion, springdneans` attached td .said housing and said cover, releasable -means for holding the cover in positionoverthe topgpf ithe housing n against the; forceaexerted diy-:the spring- ,means andmeansffor returningl the cover s.-mernb.er:to a pos-itioncver the-housingffsaid-rlast means comprising a separable-,unit .which mayfabe removed from said housmg;withoutimpairingthe `ability of, Kthe lighter to-be l.manually voperate-zd.

1. 7.. .AnI automaticpyrophoric lightercornprising a housing, a fuei areservoir-Y withinl said,- housing, i. `Wick f in g communication; with f the. reservqir, striking t -means associated. with'` the- ;Wck,- said rmeans including a rotative pinion,a slidableoover iitted over and norma-ilyclcsing theftopnf said housing-,- a11ackcarried by said' coverin engagel ment with Vthe pinion, spring means attachedrto said: housing; and. to.r saidcoveryfor; .moving .the coverfand rrack to-:rotate'the striking lmeansfreleasable means for1 holding` the cover in .position A overfthe-toppff the-housingagainst.the-forceexerted by the spring meansand means forireturning the cover to a position-over. .the.housing.

s 8,..v In .l an automatic -pyrophoric lighterr :having striking meansactuatedby a slidingcovenmeans .for .returning :the cover .torits initial. position, said means including a rack attached to said cover, a segmental gear for driving said rack, a governor mechanism for preventing overspeeding of said segmental gear, a gear for engagement with said governor mechanism, a ratchet Wheel for controlling the operation of said segmental gear, and a spring motor for driving said segmental gear.

9. In an automatic pyrophoric lighter having striking means actuated by a sliding cover, spring actuated means for moving the cover to actuate the striking means, means for returning the cover to its initial position, said means including a rack attached to said cover, a segmental gear for engagement with said rack, and a spring motor mechanism for driving said segmental gear.

10. An automatic pyrophoric lighter comprising a housing, a fuel reservoir within the housing, a Wick, means for igniting the Wick including a striking means, a cover mounted on the housing and adapted to move from a first to a second position, a first engaging means on the cover for moving the striking means when the cover moves, a second engaging means on the cover, a first energy storing means normally urging the cover from the rst toward the second position, a second energy storing means in said housing, and a 10 third engaging means associated with said second energy storing means and adapted to alternately engage the second engaging means on said cover when said cover is in said second position and to return said cover to said rst position, said third engaging means being associated with said second energy storing means and being adapted to disengage from said second engaging means on said cover when said cover is in said rst position.

WHARTON E. MOLLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,788,544 Rombach Jan. 13, 1931 1,828,887 Aronson Oct. 27, 1931 1,859,908 Aronson May 24, 1932 1,988,838 Harris Apr. 23, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 435,465 France Dec. 27, 1911 447,031 Great Britain Feb. 13, 1935 

